Motor vehicles such as cars and lorries are ever more richly equipped with a variety of functions and accessories. The safety is still the overriding principle. Therefore, particular attention is paid on the user interfaces. One common development is that the steering wheels often sport different controls for use of car radio and cruise control functions, for example. In other applications e.g. in mobile phones, it is possible to layer different functions into menu structures. Such menus are, however, poorly suited for use for a driver of a car for safety considerations. At the same time, the cost pressures in car industry have been mounting, which causes a continuous need to cut costs wherever possible. Multi-function steering wheels are relatively expensive because of the complexities caused by cabling and because a multitude of durable and reliable buttons are needed.